Ireland edges England for the team crown as Northern Ireland celebrates five bronze medals at the Dublin cross country meet.
The British & Irish Cross Country International unfolded at Dublin’s National Sports Centre, drawing athletes from the five home nations. A tight tally decided the overall victor: the Republic of Ireland amassed 76 points, just two fewer than England’s 78, leaving Scotland (54) and Northern Ireland (32) in the middle, while Wales rounded out the standings with 18.
Team battle and the narrow Irish win
Scoring in cross-country relies on the aggregate of each nation’s top finishers across 18 age-group races. Ireland’s modest lead over England illustrates how every second mattered. The final tabulation placed the Republic ahead by a slim margin, confirming its status as overall team champion for the event.
Northern Ireland’s five bronze medals
Although the Northern Irish contingent finished behind the Republic in the team column, its athletes secured a total of five bronze medals. The most prominent individual triumph came from Elisoa Crawford of North Belfast Harriers, who claimed victory in the W55 race, finishing 14 seconds ahead of Republic runner Annette Kealy and edging England’s Rachel Cooke into third.
Supporting Crawford’s success, the Northern Ireland women’s W55 scoring squad added Louise Smith (8th), Shileen O’Kane (13th) and Anne-Marie Carr (16th) to the podium mix, ensuring the team earned a bronze. A second set of bronze medals was captured by the F35 women’s group, led by Kathleen Law (8th) and rounded out by Kerry Bamber (9th), Rachel Gibson (10th) and Natasha Hersom (13th).
In the senior women’s category, Everest-summiting Hannah Shields placed 6th, guiding the F60 team to a bronze alongside Deborah Rushman (8th), Martina Elliot (13th) and Carol Clarke (17th). The men’s M55 race saw Eamon White (6th), Mark Smith (8th) and Steve Cairns (13th) contribute to Northern Ireland’s medal haul, while the M60 group was bolstered by Tony Dalton (7th), Bernard Brady (9th), Nat Glenn (13th) and Mark Shields (15th).
Cross-border successes and other Irish races
Some athletes with Northern roots competed for the Republic and helped it secure gold. North Belfast Harrier Conan McCaughey finished third in the M35, feeding the Republic’s winning effort, while Armagh AC’s Brian Mulvaney (2nd) and Spartan’s Declan Reed (3rd) captured both individual honors and a team gold in the M50 division.
Beyond the international meet, local road events highlighted the depth of Irish running talent. The Phoenix Energy Belfast City 5K Fun Run attracted more than 2,400 participants. New North Belfast Harriers recruit Jordan Heron claimed the men’s title in 16:10, followed by Reece McGinley (Roadrunners AC) at 16:26 and Caoimhin Donnelly in 16:42. Nicola McCartney topped the women’s field in 19:47, with Sarah Connolly (North Down) and Briege Russell (Dromore AC) close behind.
In Stranorlar, the Finn Valley AC Remembrance Run 10K saw a clean sweep by the host club: Danny Mooney (33:22) led a trio that included Mark McPaul (33:23) and John Foley (33:40). The women’s title went to Leoni Cooke (38:40), followed by teammate Maggie O’Hara (40:23) and Pauline McGurren (41:22).
On the inter-regional stage, Ulster marathon champion John Joe Doherty travelled to north-west England for the Brampton to Carlisle 10-mile road race. He recorded a swift 50:24, finishing tenth overall and third in the M40 age group, demonstrating the competitiveness of Northern Irish distance runners beyond the island.
Another Irish name featured abroad when Efrem Gidey placed seventh at Germany’s Sparkassen Cross, clocking 19:46 on a brief 7.5 km course. The race concluded with a dramatic finish: after a mix-up that saw the two leaders start an extra lap, Burundi’s Egide Ntakarutimana edged out teammate Celestin Ndikumana in a final sprint.
Overall, the weekend underscored the breadth of talent across the island, from elite cross-country performers to community runners tackling 5K and 10K challenges. While the Republic secured the team crown, Northern Ireland’s collection of five bronze medals and strong showings in separate events highlighted a vibrant and competitive athletics scene.
